Information
-
Patent Grant
-
6457280
-
Patent Number
6,457,280
-
Date Filed
Tuesday, March 13, 200124 years ago
-
Date Issued
Tuesday, October 1, 200223 years ago
-
Inventors
-
Original Assignees
-
Examiners
- Friedman; Carl D.
- Slack; Naoko
Agents
-
CPC
-
US Classifications
Field of Search
-
International Classifications
-
Abstract
Disclosed is a rotary bungalow, comprising a cabin forming an inner space therein; a hollow rotary shaft extended downward from the cabin; a support unit rotatably supporting the rotary shaft; a water tank installed under the cabin; a water pipe extended between the water tank and the cabin through the rotary shaft; and a water pump drawing in the water within the water tank through the water pipe to the cabin. With this configuration, the user is allowed to use the rotary bungalow conveniently and pleasantly.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a rotary bungalow.
2. Description of the Related Art
Typically, a bungalow is used in a recreation center at rivers, mountains, beaches, etc. to provide travelers, mountaineers, etc. with a space for rest or camping, etc. A rotary bungalow is rotatable in response to a user's desire, considering a view, an amount of sunshine or the direction of the wind, etc. at the area to be located.
Referring to
FIG. 5
which is a sectional view of a conventional rotary bungalow, the conventional rotary bungalow
101
is comprised of a cabin
110
provided with an indoor space therein, a support unit
120
supporting the cabin
110
so as to be spaced from the ground to a predetermined height, and a rotary unit
150
rotating the cabin
110
.
The cabin
110
is comprised of a rectangular plate member
111
forming a bottom thereof, a plurality of wall members
112
uprightly disposed on sides of the plate member
111
, forming an indoor space thereof, and a ceiling member
113
disposed on the top of the wall members
112
, covering the indoor space. The wall member
112
of the cabin
110
is provided with a door
118
and a window
117
. Under the door
118
is mounted a ladder
119
allowing the user to come in and out.
The support unit
120
is comprised of a pillar-shaped support column
121
uprightly installed on the ground and a support base
123
buried in the ground, supporting a lower end of the support column
121
. The rotary unit
150
is comprised of a fixed table
151
coupled to an upper end of the support column
121
, and a rotatable table
153
installed on the central lower surface of the cabin
110
, rotating relative to the fixed table
151
.
The fixed table
151
is comprised of a circular lower plate
161
fixed to the top end of the support column
121
, having a hole
164
formed in the center thereof, and a plurality of rollers
163
installed in the periphery of the lower plate
161
, rotatably supporting the rotatable table
153
. In a portion of the lower plate
161
is provided a fixed pin
165
allowing the rotatable table
153
to be rotated or fixed.
The rotatable table
153
is comprised of a circular upper plate
171
coupled to a central region of the plate member
111
of the cabin
110
, a flange
173
extended downward from the edge of the upper plate
171
, for accommodating the fixed table
151
therein, and a central shaft
174
protruding downward from the central lower region of the upper plate
171
to be rotatably coupled to the central hole
164
of the fixed table
151
.
With this configuration, the rotatable table
153
installed on the plate member
111
of the cabin
110
is rotatably placed on the rollers
163
of the fixed table
151
, thereby rotating the cabin
110
.
However, the conventional rotary bungalow is not provided with water supply facilities for supplying water into the cabin, for which the user is not allowed for cooking and washing, etc. within the cabin. In addition, since the conventional rotary bungalow is not provided with a draining unit for draining water and sewage to be generated from cooking, washing and easing nature, etc., it is in fact impossible to cook, wash and go to stool, etc. within the cabin. As a consequence, the user has to endure with inconvenience, that is, to use a common kitchenette, a common washroom and a common laboratory, etc.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly, the present invention has been made keeping in mind the above-described problem, and an object of the present invention is to provide a rotary bungalow having water supply facilities supplying water into a cabin.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a rotary bungalow having a draining unit draining water and sewage generated within the cabin.
These and other objects of the present invention may be accomplished by a provision of a rotary bungalow comprising a cabin provided with an indoor space therein; a hollow rotary shaft extended downward from the cabin; a support unit rotatably supporting the rotary shaft; a water tank installed under the cabin; a water pipe extended between the-water tank from the cabin through the rotary shaft; and a water pump pumping the water within the water tank through the water pipe to the cabin.
Preferably, the water tank is buried in the ground.
Desirably, the water pump is installed within the cabin, and the water pipe and the water pump are rotated when the cabin is rotated.
It is also preferable that the rotary bungalow further comprises a draining pipe extended downward from the cabin so as to discharge sanitary and sewage water from the cabin, being rotated along with the cabin; and a water collector provided in the support unit, storing the sanitary and sewage water from the draining pipe.
Preferably, the water collector includes a discharge pipe discharging the stored sanitary and sewage water in the water collector.
Effectively, the water collector is comprised of the first storage and the second storage disposed concentrically so as to store the sanitary water and the sewage water respectively.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The present invention will be better understood and its various objects and advantages will be more fully appreciated from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1
is a perspective view of a rotary bungalow according to the present invention;
FIG. 2
a sectional view taken along line II—II of
FIG. 1
;
FIG. 3
an exploded perspective view of a support unit and a rotary unit of
FIG. 1
;
FIG. 4
is an enlarged perspective view of “A” of
FIG. 3
; and
FIG. 5
is a section view of a conventional rotary bungalow.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
Referring to
FIGS. 1 through 4
, a rotary bungalow
1
according to the present invention is comprised of a cabin
10
provided with an indoor space therein, a support unit
20
supporting the cabin
10
so as to be spaced from the ground to a predetermined distance, a rotary unit
40
coupled to the lower part of the cabin
10
and rotatably supported by the support unit
20
, a driving unit
50
rotating the rotary unit
40
, a water tank
60
installed under the cabin
10
, a water supply unit
80
supplying water stored in the water tank
60
into the cabin
10
, and a draining unit
86
draining out the sewage generated within the cabin
10
.
The cabin
10
is comprised of a polygonal lower plate
11
forming an indoor bottom thereof, a plurality of wall members
12
uprightly disposed on the respective sides of the lower plate
11
, forming an indoor space, and a ceiling member
18
disposed so as to cover a top opening of the wall face members
12
.
The lower plate
11
, the wall members
12
and the ceiling member
13
constituting the cabin
10
by assemblage are made of polyurethane foaming material, or synthetic resin or wooden panel internally formed with other insulating materials. Within the cabin
10
are provided a small sink unit
14
for cooking, a toilet
96
, a washstand (not shown) and a small bed for rest (not shown), etc. for the sake of convenience for the users. Outside the cabin
10
are separately installed a small warehouse (not shown) and a balcony
15
, etc. The water supply unit
80
supplies water to the sink unit
14
, the toilet
96
and the washstand (not shown) provided inside the cabin
10
from the outside.
One wall member
12
is provided with a door
18
to allow the user to come in and out, and the other wall face members
12
are provided with either a window for ventilation
17
of an indoor air and a balcony window
16
, etc. A ladder
19
is elevatably mounted outside the door
18
to allow the user to come in and out of the cabin
10
.
The support unit
20
is comprised of a hollow support column
21
uprightly mounted on the ground, a circular fixed table
22
provided in the upper end of the support column
21
, rotatably supporting the lower part of the cabin
10
, and a support base
23
buried under the ground, to be coupled to the lower end of the support column
21
.
The support column
21
is made of a tubular pipe member. On the upper end of the support column
21
are disposed a plurality of support ribs
33
with the same interval along the circumference thereof, for supporting the lower part of the fixed table
22
. On the lower end of the support column
21
is formed a support flange
32
coupled to the support base
23
by a plurality of anchor bolts
32
a.
A plurality of bearing seats vertically spaced from each other are formed inside the support column
21
, and a roller bearing
37
rotatably supporting a rotary shaft
41
of the rotary unit
40
to be described later is installed in each bearing seat
31
.
In the central portion of the fixed table
22
is formed a shaft passing hole
34
communicating with the inside of the support column
21
. On the edge of the fixed table
22
is provided a wall
35
extended upward to a predetermined height along the circumference thereof.
The support base
23
is substantially in the shape of rectangular parallelepiped of concrete, and it has such volume as to prevent the support column
21
from being moved by a weight of the cabin
10
. In the central portion of the support base
23
is formed a passing hole
36
communicating with the inside of the support column
21
.
The rotary unit
40
is comprised of a rotary table
42
rotatably installed on the top of the fixed table
22
of the support column
21
, supporting the lower part of the cabin
10
, and a hollow rotary shaft
41
extended downward from the central portion of the rotary table
42
.
The rotary table
42
has a polygonal plane corresponding to the lower plate
11
of the cabin
10
, supporting a lower circumference of the cabin
10
so as to be spaced from the lower plate
11
of the cabin
10
to a predetermined distance. As shown in
FIG. 3
, in the central portion of the rotary table
42
is formed a pipe passing hole
44
communicating with the inside of the rotary shaft
41
; in the lower surface of the rotary table
42
is formed a surrounding wall
45
protruding downward so as to surround the wall
35
of the fixed table
22
described above.
The rotary shaft
41
is made of a tubular pipe having a smaller inner diameter than that of the support column
21
of the support unit
20
, and is concentrically accommodated inside the support column
21
through the shaft passing hole
34
of the support unit
20
. A plurality of journals
47
are formed on an outer circumferential surface of the rotary shaft
41
, the journals
47
being rotatably supported by the roller bearing
37
installed inside the support column
21
. On the lower end of the rotary shaft
41
is provided a bent flange
49
(
FIG. 2
) extended radially, so as to surround an extension
65
formed along the edge of a water pipe passing hole
64
of the water tank
60
to be described later.
The driving means
50
is comprised of a rail
51
installed on the top face of the fixed table
22
of the support unit
20
, a plurality of rollers
53
installed on the bottom face of the rotary table
42
of the rotary unit
40
, traveling along the rail
51
, a driving motor
55
for a low-speed rotation installed on the bottom face of the rotary table
42
, rotating the rollers
53
, and a power supply (not shown) supplying power to the driving motor
55
. Although it is not shown, the external power supply is supplied by a cable (not shown) passing through the inside of the support column
21
.
The rail
51
is formed of a circular loop, along the planar circumference between the shaft passing hole
34
formed in the central portion of the fixed table
22
and the outer wall
35
formed in the outer circumference of the fixed table
22
. The rollers
53
are installed with the same interval on the bottom face of the rotary table
42
, corresponding to the rail
51
. The driving motor
44
is connected to either of the plurality of rollers
53
.
With this configuration, if power is supplied to the driving motor
55
, the roller
53
slowly rotates to travel along the rail
51
. At this time, the other rollers
53
installed on the lower circumferential face of the rotary table
42
freely rotates to travel along the rail
51
installed in the top face of the fixed table
22
, to thereby allow the rotary table
42
to be slowly rotated relative to the fixed table
22
. Accordingly, the cabin
10
supported by combination with the rotary table
42
of the rotary unit
40
is slowly rotated together with the rotary unit
40
.
Under the cabin
10
is buried the water tank
60
within the ground. The water tank
60
is comprised of a water pipe receiver part
61
whose upper end is received in the lower portion of the support column
21
through the passing hole
36
of the support base
23
, a storage part
62
disposed beside of the support base
23
, storing the water supplied from an external water source, and a communicator part
63
communicating the storage part
62
and the water pipe receiver part
61
.
On the top end of the water pipe receiver part
61
is formed the water pipe passing hole
64
. To the water pipe passing hole
64
is mounted the extension
65
extended upward along the circumference thereof. The extension
65
is, as described above, enclosed by the bent flange
49
of the rotary shaft
41
, thereby preventing foreign materials from being introduced into the water tank
60
.
Beside the storage part
62
is provided a water supply part
71
being supplied with water from the external water source. On the top portion of the storage part
62
are provided a manhole
72
opened outward the ground so as to allow the water stored within the water tank
60
to drain off for cleaning the inside of the water tank
60
, and a manhole cover
73
covering the opening of the manhole
72
.
Preferably, the water supply part
71
is comprised of a water path
75
connecting the storage part
62
to the external water source, a water valve
76
opening and closing the water path
75
, a float
77
sensing a level of the water within the water tank
60
, and a valve adjuster
78
opening and closing the water valve
76
according to the water level in the water tank
60
sensed by the float
77
. If the water within the water tank
60
is under a predetermined level, the water valve
76
is opened for water supply. Conversely, if the water within the water tank
60
is over the predetermined level, the water valve
76
is closed for suspending the water supply.
The communicator part
63
is so formed as to communicate the lower portion of the storage part
62
and the lower portion of the water pipe receiver part
61
. With this configuration, the water level of the water pipe receiver part
61
is maintained identically to that of the storage part
62
.
The water supply unit
80
is comprised of a water pipe
81
extended down to the water tank
60
through the rotary shaft
41
from the inside of the cabin
10
, and a water pump
82
pumping the water within the water tank
60
through the water pipe
81
into the cabin
10
, to thereby supply the water stored within the water tank
60
into the cabin
10
.
The water pump
82
is installed in the lower part of the sink unit
14
provided within the cabin
10
. The water pipe
81
is comprised of a discharge pipe
83
extended toward the sink unit
14
, the washstand (not shown) and the toilet
96
from an outlet port of the water pipe
81
, and a suction pipe
84
extended toward the water tank
60
from an inlet port of the water pump
82
.
The suction pipe
84
passes through the lower plate
11
of the cabin
10
, is then bent, to be extended to the pipe passing hole
44
in the central portion of the rotary table
42
through the space formed between the bottom face of the lower plate
11
and the top face of the rotary table
42
, is then bent again to be extended downward to the inside of the rotary shaft
41
, and is infiltrated in the water of the water pipe receiver part
61
through the water pipe passing hole
64
of the water tank
60
. The suction pipe
84
rotates together with the cabin
10
when the cabin is rotated.
To the extended ends of the discharge pipe
83
extended to the sink unit
14
and the washstand (not shown) from the outlet of the water pump
82
are mounted faucets
85
manipulated by the user. If the water pump
82
starts in response to opening of the faucets of the sink unit
14
and the washstand (not shown) or opening of the faucet of the toilet
96
, the water stored within the water tank
60
is pumped by the water pump
82
through the suction pipe
84
and is then supplied into the sink unit
14
and the washstand (not shown) or the toilet
96
through the discharge pipe
83
.
The draining unit
86
is comprised of a water collector
87
installed in the inner upper portion of the support column
21
of the support unit
20
, collecting sewage water therein, and a draining pipe
90
guiding the sewage water from the inside of the cabin
10
into the water collector
87
.
The water collector
87
takes a cylindrical shape having an upward opening. In the central portion thereof is formed a rotary shaft passing hole
95
through which the rotary shaft
41
of the rotary unit
40
passes. The rotary shaft passing hole
95
is disposed concentrically between the support column
21
of the support unit
20
and the rotary shaft of the rotary unit
40
. The water collector is comprised of a first storage
88
storing therein the sanitary water drained from the toilet
96
and a second storage
89
storing therein the sewage water drained from the sink unit
14
and the washstand (not shown).
The first and second storages
88
and
89
are disposed concentrically within the water collector
87
. The first storage
88
is connected with a septic tank
97
for containing the sanitary water, via a sanitary water discharge pipe
93
; and the second storage
89
is connected with an external sewerage system, via a sewage water discharge pipe
94
. The discharge pipes
93
and
94
are extended downward along the inner wall face of the support column
21
from the storages
88
and
89
, pass through the passing holes
36
of the support base
23
and are then extended to the septic tank
97
and the external sewerage system.
The draining pipe
90
is comprised of a sewage water draining pipe
92
guiding the sewage water from the sink unit
14
and the washstand (not shown) provided within the cabin
10
into the second storage
89
of the water collector
87
, and a sanitary water draining pipe
91
guiding the sanitary water from the toilet provided within the cabin
10
into the first storage
88
of the water collector
87
.
Each of the draining pipes
91
and
92
is extended downward from the sink unit
14
, the washstand (not shown) and the toilet
96
respectively so as to allow them to be rotated together with the cabin
10
and the rotary unit
40
when the cabin
10
is rotated. The draining pipes
91
and
92
are mounted so as for their respective lower outlets to be directed toward their respective storages
88
and
89
.
The configuration and installation of the draining pipes
91
and
92
will be described in more detail.
The sanitary water draining pipe
91
is extended downward from the toilet
96
provided within the cabin
10
to pass through the lower plate
11
of the cabin
10
. The extended sanitary water draining pipe
91
is bent after passing through the lower plate
11
of the cabin
10
, and is then extended to the central portion of the rotary table
42
through the space formed between the bottom face of the lower plate
11
and the top face of the rotary table
42
. Subsequently, the sanitary water draining pipe
91
is bent so as to be extended toward a upward opening of the first storage
88
, and then passes through the rotary table
42
. Finally, the sanitary water draining pipe
91
is installed so as to allow its lower outlet to be partially received in the first storage
88
. By this installation, the lower outlet of the sanitary water draining pipe
91
is rotated along the upward opening of the first storage
88
when the cabin
10
is rotated, and the sanitary water from the toilet
96
is stored in the first storage
88
through the sanitary water draining pipe
91
being rotated relative to a central axis of the cabin
10
and then discharged out to the external septic tank
97
through the sanitary water discharge pipe
93
.
The sewage water draining pipe
91
is extended downward from the toilet
96
provided within the cabin
10
to pass through the lower plate
11
of the cabin
10
. The extended sewage water draining pipe
91
is bent after passing through the lower plate
11
of the cabin
10
, and is then extended to the central portion of the rotary table
42
through the space formed between the bottom face of the lower plate
11
and the top face of the rotary table
42
. Subsequently, the sewage water draining pipe
91
is bent so as to be extended toward a upward opening of the second storage
89
, and then passes through the rotary table
42
. Finally, the sewage water draining pipe
91
is installed so as to allow its lower outlet to be partially received in the second storage
89
. By this installation, the lower outlet of the sewage water draining pipe
91
is rotated along the upward opening of the second storage
89
when the cabin
10
is rotated, and the sewage water from the sink unit
14
and the washstand is stored in the second storage
88
through the sewage water draining pipe
91
being rotated relative to the central axis of the cabin
10
and then discharged out to the external sewerage system through the sewage water discharge pipe
94
.
With this configuration, the sanitary and sewage water generated within the cabin
10
can be discharged outside.
The water supply unit
80
for supplying water into the cabin
10
and the draining unit
86
for discharging sanitary and sewage water within the cabin will enable the user to use the rotary cabin conveniently and pleasantly, with no need to use a common kitchenette, a common washroom and a common laboratory, etc. separate from the bungalow, since cooking, washing and easing nature, etc. can be solved within the cabin.
In the present embodiment, the ladder
19
is elevatably mounted to the cabin
10
for coming in and out. However, a fixed ladder may be, instead, installed to the fixed table
22
of the support unit
20
.
In the present embodiment, only the support unit
20
is provided, for supporting the cabin
10
and rotatably supporting the rotary shaft
41
. However, considering the weight of the cabin
10
, a plurality of auxiliary support units may be further provided outside the support unit
20
between the fixed table
22
and the ground. In this case, the cable for the external power supply may be installed to pass through the inside of one of the auxiliary support units.
Further, in the present embodiment, although the sanitary water and the sewage water have been separately treated, they may be treated by combination.
As described above, the rotary bungalow according to the present invention is provided with the water supply unit for supplying water into the cabin and draining unit for discharging sanitary and sewage water out of the cabin, thereby enabling the user to use the rotary cabin conveniently and pleasantly.
Although the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been disclosed for illustrative purposes, those skilled in the art will appreciate that various modifications, additions and substitutions are possible, without departing from the scope and spirit of the invention as disclosed in the accompanying claims.
Claims
- 1. A rotary bungalow, comprising:a cabin forming an inner space therein; a hollow rotary shaft extended downward from the cabin; a support unit rotatably supporting the rotary shaft; a water tank installed under the cabin; a water pipe extended between the water tank from the cabin through the rotary shaft; and a water pump pumping the water within the water tank through the water pipe to the cabin.
- 2. The rotary bungalow according to claim 1, wherein the water tank is buried in the ground.
- 3. The rotary bungalow according to claim 1, wherein the water pump is installed within the cabin, and the water pipe and the water pump are rotated when the cabin is rotated.
- 4. The rotary bungalow according to claim 1, further comprising:a draining pipe extended downward from the cabin so as to discharge sanitary and sewage water from the cabin, being rotated along with the cabin; and a water collector provided in the support unit, storing the sanitary and sewage water from the draining pipe.
- 5. The rotary bungalow according to claim 4, wherein the water collector includes a discharge pipe discharging the stored sanitary and sewage water in the water collector.
- 6. The rotary bungalow according to claim 5, wherein the water collector is comprised of the first storage and the second storage disposed concentrically so as to store the sanitary water and the sewage water respectively.
US Referenced Citations (2)
| Number |
Name |
Date |
Kind |
|
3599378 |
Kachnic |
Aug 1971 |
A |
|
3905166 |
Kaiser |
Sep 1975 |
A |